@Asia Argento and Dario Argent in “Dracula 3D”
According to an exclusive report by Deadline, Shudder has just snagged the rights (in English-speaking markets) to “Dario Argento Panico,” a documentary about the Italian giallo filmmaker being directed by Simone Scadfi. The film made its world premiere at the 2023 Venice Film Festival and will debut on Shudder on February 2, 2024.
Giallo (the Italian word for “yellow”) is defined as a genre of murder mystery and horror fiction that often includes elements from slasher and sexploitation films.
The new documentary includes exclusive interviews with the 83-year-old Argento, as well as the filmmakers Guillermo del Toro, Gaspar Noé and Nicolas Widing Refn. In his half-century career, Argento created a long list of films, including “The Bird with the Crystal Plumage,” “Four Flies on Grey Velvet,” “Phenomena, and Opera.” His 1975 film “Deep Red” is widely considered to be the best in the giallo genre.
Also, from January 31 to February 8, “Panic Attacks: The Films of Dario Argento” will be presented at the IFC Center in New York. The lineup will include the U.S. premiere of “Dario Argento Panico” as well as screenings of other iconic titles by Argento, including “Suspiria,””Inferno,” “Deep Red,” and “Tenebrae.”
Giada Mazzoleni, the new documentary’s producer, was quoted by Deadline as saying: “We are so proud that Shudder, the most prestigious international platform dedicated to genre cinema, has chosen [this] documentary. …In doing so, Shudder not only celebrates the cinema of the greatest living Italian director, but also recognizes his merit in having forever changed the way of making cinema worldwide. This is thanks to his imaginative cities and directing of actors in scenes that have contributed to defining the highest and noblest level of fear on the big screen: that of panic.”
In addition, Shudder’s VP of programming Sam Zimmerman said, “To call Mr. Argento influential would understate it. His pioneering work in horror and giallo is as indelible as it is frightening, creating images that live forever in the eyes and minds of audiences and artists across the globe. Panico digs deep to craft an intimate portrait of the master, eye-opening to admirers and newcomers alike.”
This is not the first time Shudder has been involved with an Argento film, having presented his “Dark Glasses” in 2022, a film that starred his daughter Asia Argento.
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